The Seasonal Reading Challenge discussion
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WINTER CHALLENGE 2016
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Completed Tasks: PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ANY POST IN THIS THREAD

Task #30.4 - Readers Recommend
Option 1: Read a book with an average GR rating over 4.24. I read Battle Hill Bolero by Daniel José Older, which at time of posting has an average rating of 4.25 (I posted for approval in the help thread but haven't gotten a response yet, so fingers crossed it's still at 4.25 when you check it!). (320 pp)
Option 2: Read a book that features as a winner or nominee on the GR choice awards for 2016. I read The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware, which was a nominee in the mystery & thriller category (340pp).
320+340 = 680pp
Points this post: 30
Total points so far: 670

Task 10.2 word in title ending in "ing"
Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo
Task 20.3
Option 3: published in year ending in 7
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
First published in 2007
Total points this post: 30

5.10- Your Own 8th Wonder
A Brief History of Seven Killings
**688 pages = 1 big book ticket
10.8. On the Coast
Birds Without Wings set in Turkey
**554 pages = 1 big book ticket
15.3 - Her Declaration of Independence
Option 2. All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation
Page 1 of list. By Rebecca Traister
20.10 - Group Reads
Homegoing
My comment is in post 27
TOTAL TO DATE
points: 335
BB tickets: 15

Task:25.8 - Beth F's Task: Backwards Alphabet Code
Book 1 - Ignoring the articles "the", "a" and "an", read a book whose title begins with a letter in the left-hand column.
Book 2 - Ignoring the articles "the", "a" and "an", read a book whose title begins with the letter in the right-hand column that corresponds to the letter you selected from the left-hand.
The total combined page count for both books MUST be at least 500 pages.
For Book 1 i read The Graces , which ignoring article "the" begins with letter G (415 pages)
For Book 2 i therefore have to read a book beginning with T , ignoring article "the" again, i read The Temple Of Optimism (316 pages, book totals = 731 pages )
Points this post: 25
Points in total:150
BB:3
GO:0
Tasks completed:7
Books read:9

NEW10.8. On the Coast
Read a book set at least 50% in one of these countries with a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea - Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Monaco, Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.
The Little Paris Bookshop
15.6 - Multilingual
Read a book that was originally published in a language other than your native language. The edition you read may be in any language, as long as the first published edition of the book was not in your native language.
Required: In your post, state your native language [English] and the original language of the book [Swedish].
The Little Paris Bookshop
changed to:
A Man Called Ove
Cumulative Total 745+10 = 755

5.5 December, January, February 5pts.
Read a book whose pages include the numbers 1 or 2
The Boys in the Bunkhouse: Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland

Read a book with NO "L" in the title/subtitle and NO "L" in the author name.
The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
15.5 - B-I-N-G-O!
Read a book where the FIRST word of the title begins with a letter in BINGO.
Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie
Points this post: 25
TOTAL POINTS: 240
Golden Oldies: 2
Big Book Tickets: - (500+); - (750+)
Total tasks completed: 12
Total books read: 15

Option 4: List Strong Female characters page 1
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman 400 pages
IL: UG - BL: 7.1 - AR Pts: 19.0
Option 5: 2nd, 3rd, or 23rd in a series. The Murder on the Links by Agatha Christie
#2 of Hercule Poirot 232 pages
*Claiming GO ticket published 1923*
Points this post: 25
Total Points: 345/1075
Tasks completed: 23/60
Books Read: 27
Golden Oldies: 6
Big Books:500+(1)750+(0)1000+(0)

OPTION 1: Read a book from one of these two lists: Best Happiness Books OR Best Books About Family Relationships
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Number 19 on page 1 of the Best Books About Family Relationships list.
*This book is a GOLDEN OLDIE (first published 1847)*
OPTION 2: Read a book that contains at least 3 of these 4 vowels in the title and subtitle (A-I-O-U). There can be NO “e” used in either the title or subtitle.
Girl Waits with Gun by Amy Stewart
30.6 - Ava Catherine’s Task: Travels
OPTION 3: Read a book with the main page genre classic(s).
Lady with Lapdog and Other Stories by Anton Chekhov (288 pages)
*This book is a GOLDEN OLDIE (first published 1899)*
OPTION 5: Read a book with the main page genre historical fiction or history.
Golden Hill by Francis Spufford (344 pages)
Total pages = 288 + 344 = 632
Points this post: 60
TOTAL POINTS: 300
Golden Oldies: 4
Big Book Tickets: - (500+); - (750+)
Total tasks completed: 14
Total books read: 19

25.10 Tis the Season
Option 1: Author initials in CHRISTMAS CARDS
The Whole 30: The Official 30-day Guide To Total Health And Food Freedom by Melissa Hartwig
Option 3: Genre HF/YA
The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon
Task points: 25
Challenge points: 175

#30.09 – Catherine T's Task: Construction Wonders
Task: Read a book where at least 7 of the letters in CONSTRUCTION can be found in the title/subtitle
Book 1: The Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle – this is a Re-Read for me
C (1), O (1), N (1), T (2), R (1), U (1), I (1) = 8
Task: Read a non-fiction book with the main page genre engineering or history.
Book 2: Trapped Under the Sea: One Engineering Marvel, Five Men, and a Disaster Ten Miles Into the Darkness by Neil Swidey – this book is new to me...Engineering was a main page genre when book was chosen 11/20/2016
Points this post: 30 points
Total points to date = 715 points
BB tickets this post: 0
Total BB tickets to date: 4
GOLDEN OLDIE this post: 0
Total “GOLDIE” tickets to date: 4

20.7. Shorter is Sweeter - Elizabeth P's Task: One or Two?
Option One: I or Eye?
Read a book that has 2 “I”s AND 2 “E”s in the title/subtitle - more than 2 of both/either are okay
The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics


30.8 - Sandy's Task: Old and Awesome
Book 1: Read a book that has the word “ancient” or one of these synonyms for various meanings of “ancient” in its title/subtitle: old, past, early, antique, archaic, bygone.
Old Man's War by John Scalzi
I read the Kindle edition. The mass market paperback has 362 pages.
Book 2: Read a book that has the word “wonder” or one of these synonyms for various meanings of “wonder” in its title/subtitle: surprise, awe, sight, marvel, question, ponder.
The Seven Wonders by Steven Saylor
I read the Kindle edition. The most popular paperback has 336 pages.
362 + 336 = 698, more than 500 pages
Points this post: 30
Total points: 420

15.8 - Not-So-Secret (leavening) Agent
Read a book where ALL the letters N A H C O O O (3 O’s) are found in any combination of title, subtitle and author’s name.
Monstrous Little Voices: New Tales From Shakespeare's Fantasy World by Jonathan Barnes
All the letters of NAHCOOO are found in the title/subtitle: mOnstrOus little vOiCes: New tAles from sHakespeare's fantasy world
Points this post: 15
Total Points: 515
Books Read: 39
Golden Oldies: 1
Big Books:500+(1)750+(0)1000+(0)

20.1. Most Improved Player - CynBaxter's Task: Christmas in the Caribbean
Option 1 - Read a book whose author's* initials can be found in the word CARIBBEAN.
Funerals Are Fatal
The author, Agatha Christie's initials are found in CAribbean.
Points this post: 20
Total points: 110

20.7. Shorter is Sweeter - Elizabeth P's Task: One or Two?
Option One: I or Eye?
Read a book that has 2 “I”s AND 2 “E”s in the title/subtitle You Can't Make Me (But I Can Be Persuaded), Strategies for Bringing Out the Best in Your Strong-Willed Child
Title/subtitle:
you can't makE mE (but I can be persuaded), strategIes for bringing out the best in your strong-willed child
Has two E's and two I's
Points this post: 20
Total points: 130

5.6 - Jolly Old St Nicholas
Read a book written by an author named “Nicholas” or any of the related names found at Behind the Name, such as Nick, COLIN, Nils, Nicole, Colette.
The Woman Who Wouldn't Die, Colin Cotterill
Read the kindle edition. PB reference link here
Points this Task: 5
Books Read: 1
Golden Oldie/Big Book: No
Total Points: 830
Tasks Completed: 50
Golden Oldies: 7
Big Books: 2 (500+ x2)

5.10 (Repost for points) Read a book of your choice.
Valentine's Rose, E.E. Burke, 2/5/17 (approved for length in message 6078 of eBook Verification Thread)
Points this post: 5
GO: 0
BBT: 0
Total points: 440
GO: 0
BBT: 0

Points this task: 5
10.2 - The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith
Points this task: 10
10.6 - Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (New author to me in 2016.)
Points this task: 10
10.8 - Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters (Egypt)
Points this task: 10
Points this post: 35 points
Total points to date: 280 points

5.8 - Full Moon
Native American tribes kept track of time by observing the lunar months. Read a book with a word in the title or subtitle from the names used by various tribes to describe the winter season’s moons: long, night, cold, wolf, old, snow, hunger. Plurals, possessives and word variations that preserve the meaning of the word such as hungry work.
I Shall Wear Midnight - Terry Pratchett
"Midnight" was accepted as an alternative to "night" in post 8 of the help thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Points this post: -5
Points total: 90
Tasks completed: 12
Golden Oldies: 3
Big Books: 1 - 500+(1) 750+() 1000+()
Books read: 12
Pages read: 3612

Shirley Jackson was born on December 14, 1916. Read a book about Shirley Jackson, a book by Shirley Jackson, or a book with the main page genre Horror.
Hangsaman - Shirley Jackson
Points this post: 10
Points total: 100
Tasks completed: 13
Golden Oldies: 3
Big Books: 1 - 500+(1) 750+() 1000+()
Books read: 13
Pages read: 3852

20.1 Christmas in the Caribbean
Paris by Edward Rutherford (option 1 - E and R)
**Paris is a Big Book (809 pages). Claiming 2 BB tickets.**
50.1 Celebrating Birthdays
I generated the birthday April 1, 1989.
Book One: All the Single Ladies by Rebecca Traister (options b & c - verified)
Book Two: Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick (verified for 4.01 rating)
Book Three: A Murder of Quality by John le Carre (originally published in 1962: 1989 - 27 years old = 1962)
Points this post: 70
Total points: 185
Books posted: 12
Tasks completed: 7
Pages read: 3,956
BB tickets this post: 2
Total BB tickets: 2
GO tickets: 0

20.9 Moderator's pet - Heather (Gibby)'s Task: Celebrating Proofreading
Option 1: Read a book where the author's initials can be found in the word PROOFREADING.
The Book of Illusions by Paul Auster
ProofreAding
points: 20
total: 570
BB: 9
GO: 6
tasks completed: 31

Task 30.1 - Maya's Task - Good Things Come in Pairs - Some of the best things come in pairs! Peanut butter and jelly, forks and spoons, milk and Oreos... the combinations are endless!
Books with the main page genres of Graphic Novels/Manga/Comics are allowed for this task as long as they meet SRC requirements!
Choose one pair of the following and read the two books for that pair. You CANNOT mix and match pairs!
One:
A: Read a book that is 1st in a series. This must be indicated by the book's metadata on Goodreads, and must be marked as #1 in the series (no .5 prequels).
AND
B: Read the 2nd book in the same series as book A. This must be indicated by the book's metadata on Goodreads, and must be marked as #2 in the series.
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
AND
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien
(Books #1 and #2 in The Lord of the Rings series)
[POINTS]
This Post: 30
Total Points: 140
Books Read: 14
Completed Tasks: 11

20.1 Christmas in the Caribbean
Option 1: author's initials found in the word Caribbean
Remember Mia by Alexandra Burt
Points
this post: 20
Total: 465

10.5 - Noel!
The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan
IL: MG+ - BL: 5.1 - AR Pts: 17.0
20.5 - Bigger is Better - Loafer's Task: The Long and Short of It
Option 1: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson Found on page 2
Points this post: 30
***********************
Total points: 235

5.2 Location, Location, Location
Book set in Egypt
Palace of Desire
This post 5 points
Total to date 770 points

10.3 - They're Old! - History or Historical Fiction as a main page genre
Mad Miss Mimic by Sarah Henstra
10.5 - Noel! - Read a book with NO "L" in the title/subtitle and NO "L" in the author name.
Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones
Points this post: 20
Total points (not including this post): 80

SALLY M.
20.1 Christmas in the Caribbean
Paris by Edward Rutherford (option 1 - E and R)
**Paris is a Big Book (809 pages). Claiming 2 BB tickets.**
50.1 Celebrating Birthdays
I generated the birthday April 1, 1989.
Book One: All the Single Ladies by Rebecca Traister (options b & c - verified

Book Two: Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick (verified for 4.01 rating)
Book Three: A Murder of Quality by John le Carre (originally published in 1962: 1989 - 27 years old = 1962)
Points this post: 70
Total points: 185
Books posted: 12
Tasks completed: 7
Pages read: 3,956
BB tickets this post: 2
Total BB tickets: 2
GO tickets: 0

Task 20.5 - Bigger is Better - Loafer's Task: The Long and Short of It - Read a book from the first 5 pages of this Goodreads list: Big Fat Books Worth the Effort

Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard
*On page 4 of list
Points This Post - 20
Total Points - 405

15.4 - To Tell the Truth
Option 2: I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't): Making the Journey from "What Will People Think?" to "I Am Enough" by Brene Brown
Points this post: 15
Total Points: 510
Golden Oldie books this post: 0
Total Golden Oldie books: 5
Big Book Tickets this post: 0
Total Big Book Tickets: 2
Big Books - 500+: 3
Big Books - 750+:
Big Books - 1000+:

15.3 - Her Declaration of Independence
Option 1, Read TWO books, one book 1 and one book 2.
Book 1: Sex Object by Jessica Valenti
Found on page 1 of the list.
Book 2: A House of My Own: Stories from My Life by Sandra Cisneros
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT
Points this post: 15
Total points: 255
Golden Oldies this post: 0
Total Golden Oldies: 2
Big Book Tickets this post: 0
Total Big Book Tickets:
500+: 1
750+: 0
1000+: 0

15.2 - Celebtrity Eye-Roll
Book #1: Night in title
One Silent Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Book #2: Time in title
Killing Time by Linda Howard
~~~~~~~~~~
Points This Post: 15
Total Points: 420/1075
Total Books Read: 36
Tasks Completed: 26/60

5.8 - Full Moon
Night in the title
One Night of Scandal by Elle Kennedy
~~~~~~~~~~
Points This Post: 5
Total Points: 425/1075
Total Books Read: 37
Tasks Completed: 27/60

Task 25.4 - World AIDS Day
I used option 2 twice
book 1: read a book with MPG Vampires
Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
book 2: read a book with MPG Erotica
Masquerade by Victoria Vale
ebook approval for length: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
red on cover:

Task 25.8 - Backwards Alphabet Code
my pair of letters is D = W
D: Death of a Nag by M.C. Beaton
304 pages
W: The Winter Over by Matthew Iden
341 pages
(The Winter Over has previously been claimed, but has been replaced already)
304 + 341 > 500 pages

10.5 - Noel! - Read a book with NO "L" in the title/subtitle and NO "L" in the author name.
The man in the queue by Josephine Tey
10.9. Stories Say..............
Rebel of the sands mpg mythology. included in list of approved books in help thread message 2

task 15.1 book 1:Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned
book 2: Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea
>15 points
task 25.11 book 1, option 1: The Screaming Staircase written by Jonathan Stroud with the initials JS. 44-0 pages and the ARC numbers are: MG; BL=5.1; AR pts =14 so the book is allowed
book 2, option 5: The Burning World which is part #2 in a series and 512 pages so that is the > 500 pages requirement and I claim a big book ticket
>25 points
>1 bb ticket
TOTAL
>50 points
>1 bb ticket

Challenge 5.8 Full moon
Read a book with a word in the title or subtitle from the names used by various tribes to describe the winter season’s moons: long, night, cold, wolf, old, snow, hunger.
I read In the Night Room by Peter Straub.
Challenge 15.10 The Plane! The Plane!
Read a book with an aircraft* on the cover.
I read

Points this post: 20
Total points: 780
Golden Oldies this post: 0
Total Golden Oldies: 0
Big Book Tickets this post: 0
Total Big Book Tickets:
BBooks - 500+: 0
BBooks - 750+: 0
BBooks - 1000+: 0

10.4 - Fire and Ice
On the Accidental Wings of Dragons - Julie Wetzel 2/11
F in of
I in julie
R in dRagons
E in thE
I,C,E in accidental
************************
10.5 - Noel!
The Curse of Tenth Grave - Darynda Jones (no "L" in title or author) 1/11
***********************
20.1 - Most Improved Player - CynBaxter's Task: Christmas in the Caribbean
Option 1: The Edinburgh Dead - Brian Ruckley 2/23(caRibBean)
************************
25.4 - MegSCL's Task: World AIDS Day
Option 1: A Walk Across the Sun - Corban Addison (set in India) 1/9
Option 2: Fair Game - Jasmine Haynes (erotica) 1/21
***********************
25.6 - Trishhartuk's Task: Celebrate the City
Option 1: Priceless - Shannon Mayer 12/27
(S and M in doMine dirige noS)
Option 2: White Lion's Lady - Tina St. John 2/22
(historical fiction set in England)
(England 1179. The old Roman road leading away from London was crowded that morning.)
*************************
25.10 - Pamela3265's Task: Tis the Season
Option 3: I Love This Bar - Carolyn Brown (romance) 12/23
Option 5: Lost - Alice Lichtenstein (snow on cover) 2/4

Totals for Challenge
Points this Post: 115
Total Points: 575
BIG BOOKS: 500+: (1), 750+: (0); 1000+: (0)

Hoping I got it right this time.
25.3 - Karen Michele's Task: I Wonder…
Option 1 – I read The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape by James Howard Kunstler, with 53 listings as “Architecture," on page 2 of the list near the top: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Option 4. From page 1 (about halfway down) of the Popular Nature Books list, I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara KingsolverAnimal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Points This Post: 25
Total Points So Far: 1005

No 'L' in title or author's name- Read The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. There is no 'L' in either the title or author's name.
Also, it was originally published in 1920, so, I claim one Golden Oldie ticket.
Points these task: 10
Total points: 120
Golden Oldies ticket requests: 2
Big Book ticket requests: 0
Books read: 20
Tasks completed: 10

Dinner with Buddha
5.10 Book of Choice
So You've Been Publicly Shamed
Points this post: 10
Total points: 45

Task #10.3 - They're Old!
Read a book with history or historical fiction as a main page genre. I read Jackaby by William Ritter.
************************************************************************
Task #30.1 - Good Things Come in Pairs
I chose pair #3
Book 1 - Read a book with only black text on the cover. I read Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward.

Book 2 - Read a book with only white text on the cover. I read Home by Nnedi Okorafor.

Points this post: 40
Total points so far: 710

20.10 Group Reads
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
In discussion thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
25.6 Trishhartuk's Task: Celebrate the City
Option 1
Last Orders by Graham Swift
DOMINE DIRIGE NOS
Option 5
On Such a Full Sea by Chang-rae Lee
Commemorated Name: George Lee
Points this post: 45
Total Points: 230

5.9 - Listmaker
A Veneer of Murder published in 2015
ebook only, approved in the spreadsheet on line 132
10.7. Rollin on the River
Food and Drink>Food is a main page genre
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
I listened to the audio, but have linked to the top paperback (no MMPB).
Points this post: 15
Total points: 280

5.2 - Location, Location, Location
A Cruise to Die For by Charlotte Elkins set 50% in Greece
PB edition- A Cruise to Die For
5.7 - Long, Long Ago
Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst on pg. 18
Pb edition Promise of the Wolves
25.8 - Beth F's Task: Backwards Alphabet Code
Book 1- The Ex-Wife's Survival Guide by Debby Holt
Pb edition The Ex-Wife's Survival Guide
Book 2- Vicious by L.J. Shen
Pb edition Vicious
Task 25.11 - Wayne's Task: A Festivus for the Rest of Us!
Option 5- Reckless & Ruined by Bethany-Kris
PB edition Reckless & Ruined
Option 4- Strong Women pg. 1
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
30.3 - Daphne's Task: Atlas Obscura
Option 1- Frost
Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs
Option 4-

Points this post- 90
Tptal points- 610

20.5. Bigger is Better - Loafer's Task: The Long and Short of It
Option 2: Short stories
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman
From the GR description: "In these eight stories ..."
The help thread confirms here that confirmation in the GR description is acceptable.
The Amateur Cracksman is a Golden Oldie (first published 1898). I claim 1 GO ticket.
Task 20.6. Seasoned Reader – Nicola T's Task: Repos Production’s 7Wonders
Option 1: Wood and stone on cover

The handle of the rake is wood, and there are also piles of stones.
Points this post: 40
Total points: 320
GO tickets this post: 1
Total GO tickets: 3
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A word in the title ending in "—ing": Swing Time by Zadie Smith
10.8. On the Coast
A book set in a country with a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea (Morocco): A House in Fez: Building a Life in the Ancient Heart of Morocco by Suzanna Clarke
15.5 - B-I-N-G-O!
A book whose first word of the title begins with a letter in BINGO: On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle
Points this post: 35
Total points: 640